COVID 19 vaccine: a hope to be reunited.

Just as we announced last year in LAI's newsletter No. 15 the tragic deaths of elderly people abandoned in nursing homes, we must now release hopeful news about the effectiveness of the vaccine and the priority given to the elderly in nursing homes, in order to be vaccinated against coronavirus.

The impact of the vaccine is spectacular, and we present below the statistics recently published by the Autonomous Ministry of Health of Madrid. The veracity of these statistics is confirmed by Alvaro Medina Jr., son of the national president of Vida Ascendente  Spain, who runs a nursing home in the Community of Madrid.

These statistics show that the percentage of homes affected by coronavirus has gone from peaks of 14% and a value close to 8% at the beginning of the vaccination campaign to values of 2% over a period of one and a half months (left curve).  

Similarly, we can see on the right-hand curve  that these statistics show the gradual decline in the number of people infected over the period  from  November 2020 to February 2021, a decrease due to the protective measures adopted and the subsequent vaccination campaign.

On the basis of this encouraging data, we urge you not to be discouraged, to prepare for us to meet again. A reunion that will not fail to be saddened by the absence of many of our elders. We  will pray together for the rest of their souls and soon we will come together to strengthen our spiritual life with the bonds of friendship, spirituality and apostolate, pillars of our Movement.

For this apostolate we will have to form in church on the way out and go to meet new members that the pandemic has leftin need ofspiritual accompaniment. I remember the meaningless words ofthe co-ngrès of the apostolate of the laity held in Madrid after the congress in Rome: “A Church on his way out” “Let's go out and meet our neighbour”.  

With this light of hope in mind, I remain with all my affection in Christ,

Jaime Tamarit

Vice President of Vida Ascendente